In what is becoming a bit of a growing trend in Major League Baseball, the Pirates had to place two players on the COVID injury list before Tuesday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park.
Outfielder Bryan Reynolds and infielder/outfielder Cole Tucker are the two players who will miss time.
The Pirates have been hit with an outbreak of illnesses of late, and placed reliever Anthony Banda on the 10-day injured list due to a viral illness that is not deemed to be COVID-19 related.
Starting pitcher JT Brubaker only managed to work three innings Sunday in Chicago before succumbing to fatigue related to an illness.
Outfielder Jack Suwinski and infielder/outfielder Tucupita Marcano were both been recalled from Double-A Altoona to take the place of Reynolds and Tucker, while relief pitcher Sam Howard was recalled to take the spot of Banda.
Major League Baseball is no longer regularly testing for COVID-19 in asymptomatic individuals.
However, over the last couple of weeks, cases of COVID-19 have popped up around the league. In the last week, the Oakland A’s placed six players on the COVID injured list.
Entering the day, there were 15 players reportedly on the 10-day COVID injured list.